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Five Films I Need To See Before A Top Ten List
It's no secret- I am nowhere near 2016's biggest fan in terms of cinematic prospects. I wasn't over the moon with films that most loved immediately, and I supported several smaller films very few even knew about. Despite that, there are several films I either didn't get to see in theaters or haven't been opened for a wide release yet. Five of them have potential to make my top ten list, which is a very tightly packed but relatively shiftable ballot so far. Honorable Mention: "Split" - Dir. by M. Night Shymalan I didn't get to experience Shymalan's great rise like most did with The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, and I didn't care enough to truly investigate his disasters like The Village and Avatar: The Last Airbender. My first experience with a Shymalan film is his most reviled, After Earth. With such low expectations, I was also pleasantly surprised with 2015's The Visit with how decent of a film it was. Now, his newest 2016 release stars James McAvoy as Kevin, with several unique and interesting, sometimes dangerous, personalities. What that premise displays is some intense thrills and moments of truly dark humor, which I personally enjoy quite a bit. Shymalan is exactly 50/50 for me, so this film could define my image of the director for the rest of my life. No. 5: Patriots Day - Dir. by Peter Berg I'm quite a fan of Peter Berg, mildly enjoying Lone Survivor and loving Deepwater Horizon. With that in mind, I eagerly anticipate Berg's second release of 2016- Patriots Day. Telling the tale of the Boston Marathon bombing and the subsequent manhunt is a relatively recent story featuring an allstar ensemble cast of Mark Walhberg, Kevin Bacon, and John Goodman, Patriots Day has received great reviews. Berg's very much the Michael Mann of my generation, so it'll be interesting to see what he does with this once it hits the cinema in January. No. 4: Lion - Dir. by Garth Davis Lion is a very personal film for me, and it'll likely be one of the few films that I cannot separate my heart from my brain in terms of judging the film. As someone who was adopted, Lion is the literal story of the journey I will hopefully be taking one day. With an apparently towering performance from Dev Patel, as well as several precursor guild approvals, Lion looks like just the film that had the heart to push through. I didn't see it in films, but it'll likely be one of the first Blu-Rays I buy in 2017. No. 3: La La Land - Dir. by Damien Chazelle I am one of the few people in this generation that genuinely loves musicals, and the team assembling this one is enough to generate significant anticipation for me. With the almost unanimous praise it has received during the precursor season, combined with Damien Chazelle, one of the most promising upcoming directors, and a great looking ensemble of Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, J. K. Simmons, Rosemarie DeWitt, and John Legend, the stats alone give La La Land enough to generate hype. But naturally, the most appealing aspect for me is still the musical numbers, which I simply cannot wait to experience. No. 2: Moonlight - Dir. by Barry Jenkins Considering that Moonlight is my prediction for winning both Best Director and Best Picture at the Academy Awards, I am somewhat obligated to hunt down a Blu-Ray or theater that is showing Moonlight prior to posting my Top Ten list. Even if it wasn't my prediction, the almost overwhelming praise for the film is enough to warrant a viewing. A coming of age tale about a gay teen in the urban city? I am more than curious about this little film. No. 1: Silence - Dir. by Martin Scorsese It's a well-known fact that I pretty much love every film Martin Scorsese has made, and the talk that Silence might actually be his magnum opus with a record that includes The Departed, Raging Bull, and The Wolf of Wall Street is enough to demand a viewing. Starring two of the most valuable young actors in Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver, with stunning work from Rodriego Prieto already shown in the first trailer, Silence could not only be a threat to get onto my top ten, but take the big prize.